I'm sure most of you already know the drill by now, but here's the prompt:
What are the unique qualities of Northwestern - and of the specific undergraduate school to which you are applying - that make you want to attend the University? In what ways do you hope to take advantage of the qualities you have identified?
Essay follows:
When I first started my search for colleges, I was convinced that I was going to study journalism, and therefore, I wanted a school with a solid journalism program. Ever since I moved to the Midwest, people had been telling me that Northwestern was a prestigious and academically rigorous school, which was what first made me curious about the school. When I looked into Northwestern, it seemed like the perfect match. Northwestern isn't too far from home; it's also located near Chicago, which would give me multiple resources to draw from during my college education. The student body of Northwestern isn't too large or too small, and it seems as though the students at Northwestern know how to maintain a healthy balance of work and play. But best of all, it had the well-known journalism school that I was looking for. None of the universities I was considering had a journalism school as renowned as Medill; some of them didn't even offer journalism as a major. Strangely enough, even though my initial attraction to Northwestern was mainly due to Medill, I'm not applying there.
My mindset has changed since the beginning of my college search. Journalism is still a passion of mine, but sometime during the application process, I realized that I first wanted to have a solid base in communications, along with further knowledge in many different subject areas. Even though my plans have changed, my desire to attend Northwestern has not. When I first did my research about Northwestern, I discovered that Northwestern also has the School of Communication. At that time, the School of Communication took a backseat to Medill. But after I rethought my plans, I knew attending the School of Communication would be the right way to pursue my goals.
Working on the school newspaper has taught me that skillful communication is essential to getting a job done. Whether it's speaking with someone that I'm interviewing or writing a formal e-mail to apologize for a mistake in the paper, I must know how to properly express my thoughts and intentions. My experience with the school newspaper has only given me a small start in learning how to effectively communicate. The School of Communication, being one of the top schools in its discipline, would strengthen and further my knowledge of not only how a message can affect an audience, but also how to convey my ideas in order to make an impact on other people.
However, communication is not the only area of study I want to engage in. There are many different subjects I want to immerse myself in during my college years, and the School of Communication would allow me to explore these subjects. Not only does the school offer courses all across the broad subject of communication, it requires students to take courses outside of the department. This fact encourages me to apply because I know I will get a well-rounded education and be able to take advantage of all Northwestern has to offer.
Journalism is still what I want to pursue after I finish my undergraduate studies. But as I discovered during my college search, my goals can change. Maybe I will end up studying journalism after I graduate from whatever school I will attend for the next four years. Maybe I'll even end up at Medill in a couple of years. But maybe I'll find out that I want to study something different, and I'll choose to embark upon another path. My plans have changed since that very first time I looked into Northwestern, but throughout my college search, one thing has remained the same. Though I'm not sure what the future holds, I still believe that Northwestern is the ideal place for me to take the first steps on my journey.
Any feedback would be appreciated.
Thanks!
What are the unique qualities of Northwestern - and of the specific undergraduate school to which you are applying - that make you want to attend the University? In what ways do you hope to take advantage of the qualities you have identified?
Essay follows:
When I first started my search for colleges, I was convinced that I was going to study journalism, and therefore, I wanted a school with a solid journalism program. Ever since I moved to the Midwest, people had been telling me that Northwestern was a prestigious and academically rigorous school, which was what first made me curious about the school. When I looked into Northwestern, it seemed like the perfect match. Northwestern isn't too far from home; it's also located near Chicago, which would give me multiple resources to draw from during my college education. The student body of Northwestern isn't too large or too small, and it seems as though the students at Northwestern know how to maintain a healthy balance of work and play. But best of all, it had the well-known journalism school that I was looking for. None of the universities I was considering had a journalism school as renowned as Medill; some of them didn't even offer journalism as a major. Strangely enough, even though my initial attraction to Northwestern was mainly due to Medill, I'm not applying there.
My mindset has changed since the beginning of my college search. Journalism is still a passion of mine, but sometime during the application process, I realized that I first wanted to have a solid base in communications, along with further knowledge in many different subject areas. Even though my plans have changed, my desire to attend Northwestern has not. When I first did my research about Northwestern, I discovered that Northwestern also has the School of Communication. At that time, the School of Communication took a backseat to Medill. But after I rethought my plans, I knew attending the School of Communication would be the right way to pursue my goals.
Working on the school newspaper has taught me that skillful communication is essential to getting a job done. Whether it's speaking with someone that I'm interviewing or writing a formal e-mail to apologize for a mistake in the paper, I must know how to properly express my thoughts and intentions. My experience with the school newspaper has only given me a small start in learning how to effectively communicate. The School of Communication, being one of the top schools in its discipline, would strengthen and further my knowledge of not only how a message can affect an audience, but also how to convey my ideas in order to make an impact on other people.
However, communication is not the only area of study I want to engage in. There are many different subjects I want to immerse myself in during my college years, and the School of Communication would allow me to explore these subjects. Not only does the school offer courses all across the broad subject of communication, it requires students to take courses outside of the department. This fact encourages me to apply because I know I will get a well-rounded education and be able to take advantage of all Northwestern has to offer.
Journalism is still what I want to pursue after I finish my undergraduate studies. But as I discovered during my college search, my goals can change. Maybe I will end up studying journalism after I graduate from whatever school I will attend for the next four years. Maybe I'll even end up at Medill in a couple of years. But maybe I'll find out that I want to study something different, and I'll choose to embark upon another path. My plans have changed since that very first time I looked into Northwestern, but throughout my college search, one thing has remained the same. Though I'm not sure what the future holds, I still believe that Northwestern is the ideal place for me to take the first steps on my journey.
Any feedback would be appreciated.
Thanks!